Authorized Personnel Only

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The Virgin Islands US&R Task Force is comprised of 62 specialists and is divided into four major functional elements:

• * Search
• * Rescue
• * Technical
• * Medical

Team members include structural engineers, hazardous materials specialists, heavy rigging specialists, search specialists (including highly trained search dogs), logistics specialists, rescue specialists, four medical specialists and two physicians. By design, there are two personnel assigned to each position for the rotation and relief of personnel. This allows for round-the-clock task force operations. A comprehensive equipment cache totaling approximately 20,000 pounds supports the Task Force.

Capabilities of the Virgin Islands US&R Task Force

• Physical search and rescue operations in damaged/collapsed structures.
• Emergency medical care to disaster response personnel. Emergency Medical Care to the injured.
• Reconnaissance to assess damage and needs and provide feedback to local, territorial, and federal officials.
• Assessment / shut-off of utilities to houses and buildings.
• Hazardous materials surveys / evaluations.
• Structural/hazard evaluations of government/municipal buildings needed for immediate occupancy to support disaster relief operations.
• Stabilization of damaged structures, including shoring and cribbing operations, on damaged buildings.

To maintain minimum staffing requirements, there is ongoing recruitment of members to fill the following specialty areas vital for the task force function and response.                   

Team Managers: Oversee and direct the operations of each of the 4 teams that make up the VI Task Force, i.e., Search, Rescue, Medical and Technical.

Planning Officers: Assist the Task Force Leaders with short and long range planning for the Task Force operations.

Technical Search Specialists: Utilize state of the art equipment, such as search cams and sensitive sounding equipment to locate victims.

Canine Search Specialists: Use highly trained search dogs to locate possible victims.

Rescue Specialists: Individuals trained and equipped to extricate victims from confined spaces, collapsed buildings, or heavy vehicles.

Medical Specialists: Provide advanced medical care for the Task Force members, canines and victims. They are composed of doctors, paramedics and nurses with specialized training.

Structural Specialists: To serve as technical advisors and consultants to evaluate damaged buildings to determine optimal measures to stabilize the building to allow for rescue personnel to remove victims. The Structural Specialists are Certified Engineers.

Hazardous Materials Specialists: Ensure a safe working environment for rescue workers, including containing hazardous materials that may have been released in a building collapse. Each Hazardous Materials Specialist is State Certified.

Heavy Rigging Specialists: Coordinate operations of heavy equipment, such as cranes, back hoes and other equipment needed to move heavy portions of structures during rescue operations.

Communications Specialists: Maintain, configure, distribute and train personnel on all communications equipment in the Task Force cache. Equipment includes local hand held and repeater systems, high frequency short wave and satellite systems, for voice and data transmission.

Information Specialists: Regulate and provide technical information and documentation to the Task Force.

Logistics Specialists: Provide inventory control of specialized equipment and supplies maintained in the Task Force equipment cache.

Safety Specialists: Oversee rescue operations to assure the safety of the rescue workers and other personnel in the area.